Spencer Strider superb as Braves take down Dodgers, 7-2

"Strider became the story on Saturday night, working six nearly perfect shutout innings. His slider was virtually un-hittable with a 64% whiff rate. The fastball was humming throughout the night and had Shohei Ohtani in a blender. A week after a shaky debut in Coors Field, this was as impressive as Strider has looked in more than two years. He finished the night allowing just one hit and two walks with eight strikeouts."

"The Braves didn't exactly light up Blake Snell in the early innings, but they hit 'em where they ain't and scratched across five runs in the first two frames. Atlanta loaded the bases with no outs in the first but somehow only scored one run - a theme that continued from Friday night's debacle - but thankfully broke through in a big way in the second inning with a two-run single by way of Ozzie Albies and two-run single from Matt Olson to make it 5-0."

"As the score held, the Braves tacked on another run in the fifth with a Michael Harris double that plated a scootin' Austin Riley. And in the eighth, Drake Baldwin added a little insurance with a two-out single to make it 7-0. Dylan Lee worked a scoreless seventh inning and gave way to Reynaldo Lopez, who allowed a harmless two-run homer in the 9th to finally get the Dodgers on the board."

"The series concludes on Sunday afternoon with Bryce Elder set to face lefty Justin Wrobleski, who owns a 5-0 record and 1.25 ERA that is screaming for some regression. First pitch is set for 4:10 p.m. ET."

Spencer Strider powered the Braves with six nearly perfect shutout innings, striking out eight while allowing one hit and two walks. His slider produced a 64% whiff rate, and his fastball kept Shohei Ohtani off balance. Atlanta’s offense scored early, loading the bases in the first inning but scoring once, then breaking through in the second with RBI singles from Ozzie Albies and Matt Olson to make it 5-0. The Braves added runs in the fifth and eighth, including a Michael Harris double and a Drake Baldwin two-out single. Dylan Lee pitched a scoreless seventh, and Reynaldo Lopez allowed a harmless two-run homer in the ninth. The series ends Sunday with Bryce Elder facing Justin Wrobleski.

Read at Battery Power